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Budget Knife

Ok thanks guys! I looked on YouTube at some reviews of the Buck Vantage Pro and it seemed like the quality control was very hit or miss, can anyone comment on it? Other than the Buck the other contenders that I'm interested in would definitely be the Spyderco Tenacious, Rat 1/2 or the ESEE Zancudo.
 
There are a number of good bargains out there if you look. These two, the Zancudo sold by BRK, the other, a RAT 2 by Ontario, fit that category. These can be had for under $30, and offer decent steel (AUS8), good handles, and solid performance.
 
I can speak to the Tenacious and Rat 2.

I carried a Tenacious every day in construction for 4 or 5 years and beat the living hell out of it with zero problems. It's been in wet concrete once or twice, and caked with dry concrete countless times, been at the bottom of a creek a couple times, used as a chisel many times, used as an impact tool, pry bar, and the lockup, after all the use, is at 100% and it's still solid. The steel is not the best, but gets very sharp very quickly in my experience. The edge just needs to be maintained. The deployment is super fast and has the options to be carried in all 4 positions which is great. PB bushings and milled liners. Awesome value, I think



The Rat 2 I also have. I think it's great for a lighter duty knife. I've carried it a bunch and it performs well. Super light and slim, deploys lightning fast thanks to the awesome detent and SMOOTH - Probably the smoothest budget knife I've ever felt. I think it's the perfect size and weight. If that knife came with a compression lock or axis lock it would be my ultimate daily carry.

With that said, I think everyone has made some great suggestions and I don't believe you will be disappointed with any.
 
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Wow, that tenacious has seen some serious use hahaha. I think now it's just between the Tenacious and the RAT 2
 
One thing to consider is size when trying to decide between those two. The Tenacious is larger and to me feels like a much larger knife...and heavier.

Best decision is no decision.

Buy both.

 
Sentinel641 said:
Ok thanks guys! I looked on YouTube at some reviews of the Buck Vantage Pro and it seemed like the quality control was very hit or miss, can anyone comment on it? Other than the Buck the other contenders that I'm interested in would definitely be the Spyderco Tenacious, Rat 1/2 or the ESEE Zancudo.
Click to expand...

The earlier Bucks did have problems, it cannot be denied. They seem to have upped their game though and the one I bought has no problems (although it does need a flick of the wrist when flipping it open).
 
I bought a folder knife from Joe Pardue series OKC, good size for an EDC and really solid. I chose a tanto black coated blade but you have many option. You'll get one for 26+shipping$ on amazon.com. Just type Joe Pardue! BTW in french it means Joe ''lost'' which remind me of myself... :)
 
Kershaw Skyline
RAT 1 or 2
Buck Vantage Select/Avid small or large
Spyderco Delica
CRKT M16
 
I found the Skyline from Kershaw to bea great little knife. Slim in the pocket ad nice drop point like the fixed blade. Flipper (simple) design, super sharp out of the box and well-textured grip. Some say the texture is too much and wear the pocket, but hey, at least you won't lose it. Never had a Spyderco as most of the early models simply didn't appeal to me aesthetically. Due to the Spydies' rave reviews they've recieved and Mr. Sal's regularly congenial online presence, I will be getting one soon.
 
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If you plan on using the knife daily I'd avoid the Buck Vantage. It's definitely not made rugged.

I had a Tenascious and didn't like it. I have a Skyline and it's a great casual EDC, but is not a tough knife by any means.

I don't have a RAT, but I have the Ontario Utilitac II and it's my most carried knife of any price range. Out of all my folders, I think my ZT and my Utilitac are the only ones tough enough to outlast me and be handed down.
 
Cold Steel Code 4 Tanto son!

[video=youtube_share;IZEv9aD2t-c]http://youtu.be/IZEv9aD2t-c[/video]
 
In that price range I tend to go for Spydercos and Kershaws depending on your style. I will usually recommend the Spydercos first as I have had nothing but good experience with mine so far (Yes I know they are not perfect, but good for the money). I would recommend a spyderco Delica or a Kershaw Leek, Skyline, or Blur.
 
I took these photos today of my Vantage Pro (small) that I bought a couple weeks ago. I've noticed that the only issues I've seen are grind irregularities on the low end 420HC blades. My sandvik and S30v blades from buck(3 of them, one pictured) are perfect.


 
For the record, both the small and large vantages are rugged. They all have handle scales on top of steel liners. None of the !6! vantages I have bought have ANY type of blade play. They aren't the best knives on the market by any stretch... but Buck has a long history of making quality knives at an affordable price.

Of course I am a little bias towards Buck as I grew up with them and was completely sold when a Bucklite 426 quartered a moose. :)

If you do happen to come across a buck that isn't up to snuff, send it to buck and their warranty department will take care of it.
 
gytheran said:
For the record, both the small and large vantages are rugged. They all have handle scales on top of steel liners. None of the !6! vantages I have bought have ANY type of blade play. They aren't the best knives on the market by any stretch... but Buck has a long history of making quality knives at an affordable price.

Of course I am a little bias towards Buck as I grew up with them and was completely sold when a Bucklite 426 quartered a moose. :)

If you do happen to come across a buck that isn't up to snuff, send it to buck and their warranty department will take care of it.
Click to expand...
With that thin of an internal stop pin, thin pivot, and the thin liner, I highly recommend NOT using them for any hard use. Nice knife it may be, but it's certainly not rugged.

Now if the user needs a rugged knife or not is a completely different story.
 
If you like the Tenacious, I'd think about a Spyderco Endura.

It's FRN and not G10. But, it has skeletonized & embedded steel liners for lightweight strength. It also sports VG-10 steel which is a significant upgrade to the Tenacious Chinese stainless (8CR13MOV?)

When I give a knife gift to someone that doesn't know a ton about knives, this is a standard option.

One hand opener
Spyderco quality
VG-10 steel
Solid lock
Lightweight
Pocket clip
 
I love my vantage. It flips smoothly and is plenty strong for what I do. A folding knife has its limitations; I choose the right tool for the job and use a fixed blade if strength is in question. If you get a Vantage, you will not be disappointed. As a bonus, it is made in the USA.
 
The Tenacious and Rat-1 seem to be the ideal answers for you. The Rat-2 is too small for me for EDC as I have fairly large hands.

Someone mentioned the Spyderco Endura which is a great knife if you want something a little bigger. If you like that size and style, but want to save a few $$ then look at Spyderco's budget line, the Byrd knives, and specifically the Cara Cara 2. It's pretty much exactly the same size as the Endura, with the same FRN handles material, but 8Cr13MoV steel for the blade. This steel takes a great edge and is easy to sharpen. The Meadowlark 2 is smaller, made from the same materials and is basically a budget version of Spyderco's Delica.

Below, from top to bottom - Byrd Meadowlark 2, Tenacious, Opinel #8, Rat-1

budget_babies.jpg


And here - Endura, Cara Cara 2, Rat-1

Endura_Cara_Rat1.jpg
 
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